Raymond Lenzi, Congressional Candidate, Illinois 12th District

Dirty money, illegal campaign contributions, foreign election interference. It seems these issues often dominate the national headlines. Well, now, thanks to “No Show” Congressman Mike Bost, these issues are front and center in the 12th Congressional District, too.
Yes, that’s right. Mr. Bost brought the stench and stain of corruption to the good people of Southern Illinois when he accepted an illegal campaign contribution from infamous Russian money launderer Igor Frumen. Frumen and his partner Lev Parnas, you may recall, are both associates of President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Both have been indicted by a grand jury for violating federal election laws.
This illegal dark and dirty money was a factor in Mr. Bost’s election margin over Brendan Kelley in 2018. At minimum Mr. Bost owes Brendan Kelley a public apology. This is on top of his acceptance of more than a million dollars in Super PAC money. Clearly, as a puppet of mega-wealthy donors, Mr. Bost is ignoring working people and families in the 12th district.
Mr. Bost needs to answer two questions:
1) Will you say openly that “It is wrong to solicit money or a thing of value from a foreign government or individual?”
2) Will you refuse “Super PAC dark money” in your 2020 electoral race?
Mr. Bost: We await your public response to these two questions.
Election reform needs to start with getting billionaire money out of American politics. Most western democracies have done this. America, the cradle of democracy, needs to catch up with its junior partners in setting the example for what modern democracy looks like. Clearly Mr. Bost will not help champion honest government. He is a pawn of the oligarchs who now have American democracy by the short hairs.
Stand with the vast majority of Americans who support affordable universal healthcare, climate crisis and infrastructure initiatives, and keeping dark money out of politics. Reject the candidate who cozies up to Igor and Lev.
It’s time to retire Mike Bost. Vote for change and honest government of, by and for the people! Vote for Raymond Lenzi, Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District.

In Carbondale on December 17th an impeachment rally was held outside of Congressman Mike Bost congressional office. Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress 12th district in Illinois Raymond Lenzi, charged Bost with corruption and called for his retirement.

MoveOn.org, Stand up American, and Indivisible sponsored the rally. The corruption charges come from Bost’s acceptance of $1.4 million dollars from super PACs and acceptance of the maximum financial contribution from Russian money launderer Igor Fruman.

The rally that was held in Carbondale was one of 500 rallies held across the country over the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Lenzi stated at the rally “The corruption must be called out and stopped.”

(Copyright WBGZ Radio / www.AltonDailyNews.com)

The Lenzi for Congress Campaign has announced a Lincoln-Douglas style debate challenge between their 12th District Congressional candidate Raymond Lenzi and St. Clair resident Joel Funk. The Lenzi for Congress campaign is already working with Democratic Party Chairs and other interested political and community groups in the 12th District on dates and places for these debates to take place over the early January to mid-March period before the March 17th primary. One debate is already scheduled in February.
The basic outline of the Lincoln-Douglas debate challenge plan is to have a debate in each of the twelve counties in the 12th district just as Lincoln and Douglas debated in all of Illinois’ then congressional districts in their U.S. Senatorial contest in 1858. The preferred debate format will be modeled after the Lincoln-Douglas debates where each speaker took alternate turns speaking of their positions and platforms, issuing questions and challenges to their opponent and responding likewise to the other’s pronouncements and questions. The suggested alternating format will allow the first speaker to speak for thirty minutes, followed by a 45 minute response and rebuttal, followed then again by a 15 minute response from the opening speaker. By having these debates in every county voters will have an open and fair opportunity to hear the candidate’s views on the key issues of the day including climate change, healthcare, jobs, economic development, income inequality, gun safety, educational funding, the electoral college and so on.
The Lenzi for Congress campaign is busily working with each county to set up these events and invites the Funk campaign to respond cooperatively with all speed so that the voters may have the opportunity to compare and contrast our campaigns and positions on the vital issues in these very challenging times.